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E'. T-DUNBAR.

WHEEL.

APPLIOATION PILED MAR. 2, 1911.

` 1,048,666. Patented Dec.31,1912.

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H. T. DUNBAR.

WHEEL.

APPLIOATION rILnD MAIL 2, 1911.

1,048,666. Patented Dec.31, 1912.

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50 v 2 of the wheel which is preferably of tubular HARRIS T. DUNDA-B.,OF IBUFFALO, NEW YORK.

WHEEL.

specifloation of Letters Patent. Application filed lfliarch 2, 1911.Serie! No. 611,813.

Patented Dee. 31, 192.

To all whom it may concern:

Be. t known that I, HARRIS T. DUNBAR, a citizen'of the United States,residing at Buffalo' the'county ofErie and State of New ork, haveinvented new and useful Improvements 'in Wheels, of which the followingis a specification.

Wheels having pneumatic tires have been found incapable of sustainingvery heavy loads and their use has therefore been confined toautomobiles and other wheeled vehicles of comparatively light weight. To

obviate this difliculty commercial automobiles .desi ed to' carr heavloads have been provided with so id rub er tires and for extra heavytraffic the wheels have each been provided with two solid rubber tiresso as. to increase the elastic 'bearing surface of the wheel. Suchdouble tired wheels have, however, failed to accomplish the desired-result in traveling over rou h roads or roads' having a comparativelyhgh camber because only the rear or inner tires of the wheels in suchcases would come ,fully in contact with the ground and therefore supportthe bulk of the load. Moreover the wheels dra considerably when turningl corners, where y the tires are subjected to undue' wear. v

-Itis the object of this invention to produce a Vehicle wheel whichyieldingly supports the'. load and which' permits of distributing theload more equally over the tires, and also minimizes the wear upon thetires due to dragging while the wheels turn corners. 4

In the accompanying drawings consisting of 3 Sheets: Figure 1 is a sideelevation of my improved wheel. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation of thesame showing one of the main cushioning or supporting springs andadjacent parts of the wheel. Fig. 3 is .a vertical section' of the wheeltaken lengthwise at its axis. v Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinalsection on the same taken in line 4-4, Fi'g. 3.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral Views..

1 represents the inner section of the hub form and' adapted to besecured to an axle or driving shaft of the Vehicle in any suitfrictiondisk 2 which is preferably formed section in, rear of the screw nut and5 is a tension spring surrounding the 'inner hub section and bearin atits rear end' against the front friction iskand at its front end againsttherear end of the screw nut.

6, 6 represents a plurality of rims or fellies arranged side by sidearound the hub, two of such rims being shown, for example, in Fig. 3,although ths number may be varied if desired. Each of these rims ma beprovided on its periphery with a tire of any suitable construction. Onits front and rear sdes each of'these rims is provided with annularfriction webs or rings 8, 9 which project nwardly from the rim. Thesewebs or rngs are preferabl constructed of sheet metal or other suita lematerial and the members of each pair are secured at their outer edgesto opposite sides of the respectve rm by means of bolts 10, as shown inthe drawings, or by any other suitable means. v

In the assembled condition of the parts the front friction disk bears aainst the outer side of the front Web or rng of the front rim and therear friction disk bears against the outer side of the rear friction webor ring of the rear rim.

On the central part of the periphery of the inner hub section twointermedate friction disks 12, 13 are arranged side by side inengafgement with each other. The front one 12 o the intermediatefriction webs engages with the outer side of the rear web of the frontrim and the rear one 13 of the intermediate friction web bears againstthe outer side of the front web of the rear rim, as shown in'Fig. 3. Onthe front and rear parts of the inner hub section and on o posite sidesof the intermediate friction isks are arranged two outer hub sectionseach of which preferably comprises two sleeves 14, 14 which are arrangedside by side and engage with each' other. Eac'h of these sleeves..faceswhereby these webs engage with The several friction webs or ringsand disks are pressed against one another by the tension of the spring 5whereby a frict-ional connection is efiected between the hub and rimswhich holds the latter against displacement in a direction lengthwise ofthe hub but permits the rims to move laterally or radially relatively tothe hub.

The intermediate part 30 of each web is reduced while its outer edge 31is comparatively thick which enables the bolts 10 to obtain a moresubstantial hold on the webs. The inner edge 32 of each web is alsothickened so as to form elevatedannular bearitrllg ufriction disks andthe several friction disks '33 formin rovided with thickened parts aresimilarly l e evated annular bearing surfaces which engage with theelevated bearing surfaces of the webs. By thus constructingthecoperating parts of the frcton webs and disks the same are caused towear parallel and always hear fully against each other so as to obtainthe maximum frictional contact between the same. In the absence of thesehigh bearing surfaces on the webs and disks an unevenwear on the samewould be liable to' occur so that the contact between the webs and diskswould not be parallel and the fr'iction between the same would bereduced accordingly.

The inner hub section and 'friction disks are preferably compelled t-oturn to-gether the means for efiecting this consisting preferably inconstructing the periphery of the inner hub section of 'fiat sided formand constructing the openings of the front and intermediate disks andthe bores of the sleeves of the internal friction disks which engagewith the inner hub section of corresponding form. This fiatsided jointbetween the parts just described is preferably of hexagonal form, asshown at 34 in Fig. 4.

Each of the rims together with the parts connected therewith isyieldingly held in its centralor normal position in which it isconeentric relatively to the hub bymeans of a yielding tension devicewhich is preferably. constructed as follows: On the inner opposing sidesof each pair of internal frction disks and between the inner and outeredges thereof the same are provided with two an- V nular rows ofsupporting lugs 16, the lugs of both rows abutting against each, otherand the lugs of each row being separated one from another by interveningspaces 17 so thatt-he corresponding spaces of both rows form radialBockets The inner ends of the lu 116' are flat but their outer ends areroun edior convex, as shown at 18 in Figs. 2 and 4, for purposes to behereinafter p desribed.

In. *the annular space between each rim and 'the companion row of lugs16 is arranged an annular row of main or cushioning Springs 19 each ofwhich ispreferably constructed of a'strip or leaf of spring steel so asto' form a comparatively` long and flat outer part or body 20 having itsouter end turned or slightly rounded to form a bearing shoe 21 and aneck 22 projecting laterally inward from the 'inner end of the body andprovided at its inner end WItl 'a stop ip 23 which projects in a drectonopposite to the body of the spring. assembled Condition of the parts theneck of each spring 19 is arranged radially in one of the, sockets 17between adjacent pairs of lugs 16 and'engages its lip 23 with the innerend of the lug on one side of the neck while 30 the body of the springis,arranged substantially tangential in the space between the rim andlugs and bears at -its inner end against the outer end of the lug -16 onthe opposite side of the neck while*the turned 35 outer end or shoe 21of the 'body bears against the bore of the respective rim. The corner24: between the body and neck of each main spring is rounded, as shownin Figs. 2 and 4, and engages with the rounded outer end of the adjacentlug 16,whereby the spring body may bend relatively to its neck withoutliability of breaking at this place.

When the several main Springs are assembled the inner ends of the bodiesthereof are arranged close together and bear one against another whiletheir outer ends are separated a considerable distance, as shown in Fig.4.

While the Springs arethus deflected and relaxed during operation theirouter ends slide on the rms and to permit them to slide freely andreduce wear the coperating surfaces of the rims and Springs arelubricated by a suitable oil o-r grease.

As the hub and rims are shifted radially relatively to each other whileunder a load the main Springs are deflected inwardly and are wrappedmore closely around one another, whereby the level-age of these Springs'is gradually shortened. and the sustaining capacity thereof is'increased inversely as the square of their length.

When the two tires and rims run over an uneven surface one rm s permttedto yield '115 and rise upon engaging 'its tire with the high part oftheroad while the tire of the other rim remains in a relatively lowerposition and engages With the low part of the' road. By this means anequalization of the bearing surface of the wheel is obtainedwhi'ch'causes a better distribution of the"- load over both tires at alltimes regard-less v of whether'the Wheel is running over even or unevensurfaces instead of concentrating the pressure ona comparatively smallarea of the Wheel, as is the case in wheels of ordinary construction.Furthermore, by mounting the rims independently .of each other on v thehub t s possible for the rims to tu'rn In the 7 5 forms a channel whichhas its hollow or concave side facing inwardly. The outer ends of eachset of main springsbear against the bore of the adjacent rim 'betweenits internal flanges 25, whereby these Springs are not only preventedfrom wearing the inner sides of the friction webs but the Springs arealso prevented from pressing the lubricant out through the jointsbetween the webs and rim and producing an unsightly streak of oil on theexterior of the Wheel.

I claim as my invention:

1. A Wheel comprising front and rear rims which are arranged side byside and each of which -has a pair of inwardly projecting front and rearannular friction webs, an inner hub section having a friction disk atits rear end which bears against the outer side of the rear web of therear rim, a screw nut arranged on the front end of the inner hubsection, a front friction disk mounted on the outer part of the hub andbearing against the outer side of the. front web of the front rim, aspring interposed between said screw nut and front friction disk, frontand rear intermediate friction disks arranged on the central part of theinner hub secton, front and rear outer hub Sections mounted on the frontand rear parts of the inner hub section, said front outer hub sectionhaving. a. front friction disk bearin against the inner side of thefront we of the front rim and a rear friction disk bearing against theinner side of the rear Web of the front rim and said rear outer hubsection having a front friction disk bearing against" the inner side ofthe front web of the rear rim and a rear friction disk bearin againstthe inner side of the rear web of t e rear rim, and yielding means forholding said rims in a concentric position relatively to said outer hubSections.

2..A Wheel comprising front and rear rims which are arranged side byside and each of which has a pair of inwardly projecting front and rearannular friction webs, an inner hub section having a friction disk atits rear end which bears against the outer side of the rear web of therear rin, a screw nut arranged on the front end of the inner hubsection, a front friction disk mounted on the outer part of the hub andbearing against the outer side of the front web of the front rim, aspring inter osed between said screw nut and front friction disk, frontand rear intermediate friction disks arranged on the central part of theinner hub section, front' and rear outer hub Sections mounted on thefront and rear parts of the inner hub section, said front outer hubsection having a front friction disk bearing against the inner side ofthe front web of the front rim and a rear friction disk bearing againstthe inner side of the rear web of the front rim and said rear outer hubsection having a front friction disk bearing against the inner side ofthe front web of the rear rim and a rear friction disk bearing againstthe,inner side of the rear web of the rear rim, and yielding means forholding said rims in a concentric position relatively to said outer hubsections, said yielding means conprising a plurality of tangentialSprings connected at their inner ends with the disks of said outer hubsections while their outer ends engage slidingly side by side and` hub,a front friction disk mounted on the outer part of the hub andbearingagainst the outer-side of the front web of the front rim, a springinterposed between said screw nut and front friction disk, front andrear intermediate friction disks arranged on the central part of theinner hub section, front and rear outer hub Sections mounted' on thefront and rear parts 'of the inner hub section, said front outer hubsection having a front friction disk bearing against the inner side ofthe front web of the front rim and a rear friction disk bearing againstthe inner side of 'the rear web of the front rim and said rear outer hubsection having a front friction disk bearin against the inner side ofthe front web o the rear rim and a rear friction disk bearing againstthe inner side of the rear web of the rear rm, and yeldng means forholding said rims in a concentric position relatvely to said outer hubsections, the

fiat sided form and the bores of said front and intermediate disks andouter hub sections being of corresponding form to fit the inner hubsection.

4:. A Wheel comprising a rim, a hub provided with an annular row ofradial lugs which are separated by intervening sockets,

and a plurality of sprngs arranged in an.

annular row and each having a tangential body bearin at its outer endagainst the inner side o said rim while its inner end bears against theouter side of one of said lugs and is provided with a radial neckarranged in one of said sockets` and having 115 periphery of said innerhub section being of 'luga o v 5. A- ewheel conpr1s1ng a rm 'having 'twomwardly pro1ectng webs, an inner section,

a at "the inner end of said ,neck which bears ,against the inner side ofone of said:

outer friction disks arranged on the inner .hub section' and bearingagainst the outer sidesof said webs, an outer hub section composed oftwo sleeves whch are arranged .by intervening spaces forming sockets,and

a plurality of leaf Springs arranged in an annular row and each springhaving a tangent-ial outer part or body which bears at its outer endagainst the bore of said rim while its innerend bears against the outerends aama of one pair of said lgs and the inner end of eachspring bodybeing provided with an inwardly projecting neck which is ar:

ranged in one of said sockets and is provided at its inner end With alip bearing against the inner end of an adjacent 'pair of said lugs 1'6. A Wheel comprising a rim, wbsgprojecting inwardly from said rim andpro vided with thickned inner edges formig elevated bearing surfaces, ahub, friction disks arranged on said hub and provided With elevatedbearing surfaces which ang-age with the corresponding surfaces of saidwebs, and Springs interposed between said hub and rim.

Wit-ness my hand this 28 day' of February,

E. M. GRAHAM, ANN HEIGIS.

Ooples of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioer of Patent Washington, D, C."

